This blog is an attempt to track terrorist attacks worldwide on a weekly basis. While recognising the challenges in defining ‘terrorism’, the incidents listed here will be limited to attacks committed – or claimed – by known terrorist groups (Al Qaeda, Islamic State, FARC, etc.) or those where there is a clear underlying ideological, religious or political motive. Only actual attacks carried out, and not those thwarted through arrests, will be listed (for unsuccessful plots check out Borealis’ X feed @borealissaves). This list makes no claim to be exhaustive as it is limited by time and resources available to scan open source intelligence (OSINT).
Events where information is still being gathered may be included with a caveat that they may not turn out in the end to be terrorist in nature. Crimes motivated solely by hate will NOT appear here. Borealis realises that this too is problematic but believes that a distinction between terrorism and hate crimes is worth maintaining.
After the listing of individual incidents analysis of the visible trendlines will be briefly discussed. Multiple, independent sources (OSINT) will be listed wherever possible.
| Date | Location | Method | Responsibility | Casualties | Type |
| Jan 15 | Raanana, Israel | car ramming, stabbings | Hamas-inspired? | 1 d 18 w | Islamist |
| Erbil, Iraq | air strike | IRGC | 4 d 6 w | Shia Islamist | |
| Red Sea | missiles | Houthis | 0 | Shia Islamist | |
| Jan 16 | Mogadishu, Somalia | suicide bomber | Al Shabaab | 3 d 2 w | Islamist |
| Jan 17 | Quetta, Pakistan | IED | TTP? | 9 w | Islamist |
| Northern Israel | rockets | Hamas | 0 | Islamist | |
| Jan 18 | Kenya | donkey IED | Al Shabaab | 1 d 4 w | Islamist |
| Jan 19 | Northwest Pakistan | guns | TTP? | 6 d | Islamist |
| Jan 20 | Iraq | missiles | Islamic Resistance of Iraq | several w | Islamist |
Analysis
The war in Gaza continues and the violence is leading anti-Israeli terrorist groups to step up actions. Hamas and Hizballah, both heavily sponsored by Iran, are launching attacks against Israel. Houthi terrorists in Yemen, also a proxy for Iran, are still threatening to strike at shipping in the Red Sea despite US and UK airstrikes against their positions. Al Shabaab reminds us that foreign intervention into internal conflicts (here Kenyan involvement in Somalia) often invites retribution.
Once again, not a single attack attributed to the widely mislabeled ‘far right’ was evident anywhere on Earth this week.
Sources
Israel-Hamas war: Fatal ramming, stabbing near Tel Aviv – DW – 01/15/2024; At least one dead and 18 injured in suspected car-ramming terror attack in Israel | Euronews; 1 dead, at least 17 injured, in terror attacks in Ra’anana (ynetnews.com); Woman killed, 17 wounded in car-ramming, stabbing terror spree in Ra’anana | The Times of Israel; 1 Killed, 17 Wounded In Terror Attack In Central Israel – I24NEWS; Israeli woman killed, 17 wounded in car-rammings in Israel (newarab.com)
Iran says Revolutionary Guards attack Israel’s ‘spy HQ’ in Iraq, vow more revenge | Reuters
Three Dead in Somalia Suicide Bombing (thedefensepost.com); Suicide bombing kills three people, injures two in Somali capital: Police | News | Al Jazeera; A suicide bomber kills three people in Mogadishu (hiiraan.com); Suicide bombing kills three, injures two in Somali capital: Police (alarabiya.net)
Nine injured in Quetta bomb blast (nation.com.pk)
Kenyan police officer killed as donkey cart with explosives explode in border region | The Star; Donkey cart loaded with explosives kills a police officer and critically injures 4 others in Kenya (hiiraan.com)
Hamas fires rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel – THE DAILY STAR
Doctor, Five Others Killed In Pakistan’s Restive Northwest (rferl.org)
